Learning to Love Again
by AsItThunders
Summary: Slight AU. Amy loves her life at Heartland, but when a new kid from jail and an abused, promblem horse arrive, can she heal and teach both of them? And when something happens that changes her whole world, who can she turn to. Tamy! HIATUS
1. Threatened, Cleaning, Introducing

Learning to Love Again

Chapter One: Threatened, Cleaning, Introducing

I didn't have time for this, really. It was literally impossible to fit something else into my schedule with the horses alone. I barely had enough time to sleep, much less teach some bad boy fresh from Juvy Hall that Mom had once promised to look out for. Yep, Mom had once told an old friend that their son was welcome to come and stay at Heartland whenever they needed it. So those people had called up one day and asked if they could send their son over.

At first, I was fine with it. I imagined it would be like getting an extra hand around the farm, something we desperately needed. But then, as Mom explained the situation to me, I realized that I would have to be teaching this guy all the chores as well as teaching him how to ride. So unless Mom was planning to shave off hours from my school time, I was way overbooked. I had been hoping this kid would be someone who could help me groom, feed, and exercise the horses, but now I had to teach him how to do everything. And on top of that, he'd just gotten out of jail, or at least kiddy jail.

It was like they were making me his parole officer. We'd already had somebody from the department come down and explain to us everything that we could and could not do with this kid.

He would be living in the barn, in the room right next to the offices not far from where I was standing now in an empty stall. He was not allowed to leave the premises without our permission or supervision. If he ran off, we were to contact them immediately. He was to help around the farm and help me "fix" the horses. They told us this, for him, was like a form of rehabilitation. If he was any problem at all, we were to, again, contact their offices immediately.

I was thankful that this was kid was joining us the week after school got out. I'd already done everything with my friends. Soraya would be leaving for camp for the rest of the summer the day the kid got here, and Matt was going with his parents on a tour of Europe until school started. And, to top it all off, Ashley Grant was gone to about a million different camps and spas and shows until school started up again in September. There'd be no chance of seeing her.

I glanced over at the clock above the doorway to the office- 2:45! Crap! He was going to be here in 15 minutes and I still hadn't cleaned the barnyard or gotten the bedroom ready yet. Lou was going to murder me. I scrambled out the stall door, hastily latching it shut behind me, and rushing out the barn doors before yanking them shut. My grey eyes darted around the stable yard, trying to gage what kind of trouble I was going to be in.

Loads, to put it simply. Bridles were strewn around by fences and hanging off posts, a couple blankets adorned to the fence rails, feed buckets were littered everywhere, and there were pitchforks, rakes, shovels, and a wheelbarrow up against the barn wall. I was going to get grounded so badly for this. Doing my best not to dwell on the consequences, I hastily began scrambling around the front yard and started picking up all the halters bridles I could reach.

I had about twenty in my arms that were going to need a good cleaning and polishing before being sorted when I flung them up in air in surprise at the call of "Amy Fleming!"

Lou was here. Great.

I looked down at my feet at the mess of halters and bridles that had, at one point, been neatly organized. Now they were a mess of reins and buckles and straps. I cringed at the thought of turning around to see my sister's face. Mom wouldn't have cared. She would have said, "If it's good enough for a horse, it should be good enough for you." But Mom was off visiting her folks in Southern Virginia and going to conventions and showcases for at least two and a half weeks. That meant Lou was in charge of everything for the new kid. Which meant everything had to be clean and neat and perfect, something I'm not very good at.

I finally couldn't avoid the inevitable any longer and turned around to face my older sister. Her usually meticulously curled dark blond hair was stuffed up into a frazzled, half hearted bun, and her usually light and carefree baby blue eyes were screaming confusion and stress. Lou was taking this more seriously than I was. I mean, it was just some kid coming to the farm. From jail. I don't really think he cared what the place looked like so long as he was out of jail.

"Why isn't the yard done? I told you that had to be done hours ago!" she was screeching at me know, something she never does. "He's going to be here in 15 minutes! What have you been doing?" I glanced once at the barn, and Lou understood. "Amy!" She now sounded exasperated. "Is his room even ready yet?" She looked like she was about to kill me. And when I shook my head, Lou looked like she was about to explode into a million Lou colored pieces. "Amy Collins Fleming! You go get that boy's room ready, and it'd better be ready by the time he pulls up with that officer, or you'll be grounded from free rides along with having to clean and organize the tack room!"

"Organize the tack room, Lou? Are you serious?" I moaned.

All she did was point a finger back in the direction of the barn and mouth "no riding." I jogged off after that. No riding?! Were you kidding me? There was no way I'd risk that especially when it's the summer. Riding is my one pleasure during the day. I'm me and no one else. It's just me and the horse. And I had to clean and organize the tack room?! That was going to take ages. Do you know how much stuff there is in there? Saddles and bridles and halters and lead ropes… and more of them…and more of them… It never seemed to end. And right now they were sitting in a big pile, all tangled up. And on top of that, Lou was making me clean and polish all of them. My hands were going to be raw by the time this was over.

After I yanked open the barn door with one hand, I couldn't help but stop for a second and take in the smell. There were the horses which always gave me comfort, an age old scent that triggered so many memories and thoughts and gave me such comfort, the familiar scent of the straw, the gentle perfume of the saddles and bridles. And all around me were the small sounds that assured me my blessed horses were close by. Tiny muffled nickers, a couple snorts, and even one or two occasional whinnies. All the sounds and smells that I had been brought up on.

Shaking myself out of my memories, I quickly spun around and turned to the room next to the office, a room I had always wanted to live in. Ever since I had been little, I'd wanted to move from my room in the house to this room out here in the barn. It was perfect in my opinion. All the walls were made of the same wood as the barn and gave off that same calming, soothing smell. A rustic bed sat in the middle of the room in front of a window that over looked the fields of horses. A small nightstand stood next to the bed, there was a large dresser in one corner, and a small closet off to the side. And to top it all off there was even a small bathroom. I had always wanted this room so that I could be close to the horses. Horses were my life. I lived them, breathed them. They were my job, my reason to get up in the morning, and what put me to sleep at night.

More than once had Lou or Mom woken to find me asleep in one of the stalls with the horse standing over me protectively as if I was their own foal. It amused Mom to end because she used to do the same thing, but Lou would chide me and tell me that one time, a horse was going to step on me. When I insisted that they would do no such thing because they cared too much for me, Lou laughed and said that horses couldn't tell the difference. But I had been known to find her sometimes dozed off in Sugarfoot's, a miniature horse, stall. She loved them just as much as I did.

I shook my head again and hurriedly ran over to the dresser and pulled out some light blue sheets from the bottom drawer. As I placed them on the bed, I noticed that on the nightstand, next to the bed, underneath the lamp there was a picture of me on JackRabbit, my old Connemara Pony that I used to jump with. I smiled at the memories of the feeling of jumping over the bars with nothing but the horse under me. When the sheets were done, I pulled out the old and well worn red plaid flannel comforter and put it on top. The pillows came next, and I put covers on each of them before moving to the small bathroom. There wasn't anything extravagant. Just a sink, a cabinet, a toilet, and a small shower. I pulled out the towels from a bag in the bottom of the dresser and placed them in the cabinet and made sure that the toothbrushes and toothpaste along with all the shampoo was in its proper place.

When I was satisfied that everything was done, I walked back out into the barn aisle, perfectly content to stay there until Lou fetched me to come and meet the new kid. I deftly slid into Sundancer's stall. The little buckskin gave a nicker when he saw it was me and pushed against my pockets looking for the mints that I always kept there. He knew me too well, the little devil. "Aren't we greedy today?" I asked him as I unwrapped a peppermint and held it out to him.

He gave a short snort and tossed his head again. "Yeah, I love you too, buddy." I rubbed up and down his nose affectionately before habitually returning my fingers to the soothing pattern of t-touch, something my mom had taught long ago that had an unnatural calming effect on the horses. "You like that, don't you?" I asked when I got to his favorite spot and started rubbing there. By now, he had begun to lean into me. "I don't know if you heard, but there's a new guy coming to Heartland. He supposed to be helping out, but he's really just making my life more difficult. Along with all my other chores, I've now got to teach him about everything and teach him how to ride. There just aren't enough hours in the day, are there Sunny?" I asked the gelding. When he snorted, I gave a little laugh that sent my light brown hair swinging. "Well, I'll bet he's one of those bad boys. You know, leather jacket, motorcycle, dark mysterious air to him. That's just what we need, isn't it boy? A convict working with abused horses. Wait till Lou puts that in the papers…" I gave a little sigh.

"I'm sure I'll bring in loads more customers," I heard an unfamiliar deep voice say.

Instantly I whipped around and found a kid my age standing in the doorway of the barn.

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What do you guys think? This is my first Heartland fic. Let me know!Yes, Amy doesn't like Ty becuase he is overly arrogant and cocky. I mean, hwo really likes a guy like that? But, yes, if you could'nt tell they will soon learn to setle their differences. Now, please don't hold me to these remidies of the horses. I kinda combined things I think would be effective and things I've read about. Just so you know, this goes for the rest of the story- I OWN NOTHING RECOGNIZABLE. And yes, I do love Ty!


	2. Greetings, First Impressions, Readying

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**Learning to Love Again**

**First of; To HorsieLoverGirl: You were the first thanks! That was one of my favorite parts to write ~I can't wait to read more stuff from you! Since you were first, of course, I'm giving you the choice of reciving a cyber pony or a cyber Ty... Hm, which to pick???**

**Secondly: To rainpaint: That makes me feel really good that you like it that much~ To answer some questions now! Abou the me and no one else- I guess I just started going through a tough time with a friend who tries to mold me to be someone I'm not and it shows up in my writing! Sorry about that! Sometimes I just write for me. The second one, I was really thinking from an outsiders point of view. I know its not voodoo and stuff like that. It's jus that many people aren't used to seeing horses respond that way. It is natural to horses and stuff, but most people aren't used to it. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. Sometimes I just write things without knowing why...Oh, well... AND... since you were the second and final reviewer that I recieved before this was posted, you recive a choice between a cyber cake or a a cyber trail ride... Tough choice, I know...**

**Thanks so much to both of you for reivew and I hope I hear from you about this chapter!**

**Now, enough of my blabbering, on with the story... **

**I know you all want to hear about Ty!!**

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**Chapter Two: Greetings, First Impressions, Readying**

"Who are you?" I blurted out without thinking. I couldn't help it; his deep green, emerald eyes threw me for a moment. He wasn't at all what I had been expecting. Well, maybe my fabrication had been a little farfetched, but could you blame me? I'd been waiting for a dark, emoish type, who wore makeup, a big ole' spike necklace, and drove a Harley. But the guy standing in front of me was far from that.

He looked any regular kid that would go to my high school, but there was perhaps just two exception. He was a lot hotter than any of the guys that went to my high school. Well, I mean, Soraya thinks that Matt's absolutely the hottest thing since microwavable popcorn, but I guess since I grew up with him and we've been best friends since like first grade, I can't think of him that way. And I guess there are a few others that could be considered relatively attractive, but always act like jerks. That pretty much leaves no one in my school.

But this guy, this guy rivaled Matt and all those other guys combined. He was really quite tall at 6'4" with somewhat broad shoulders but still somewhat on the lankier side. I could see the tendons stretched out underneath the rolled up sleeves of his shirt. He had a light tan coloring to his skin that suggested he had spent at least some time outside. The boy had dark, chocolate hair with that windswept, shaggy look. It fell somewhat mysteriously into the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen. The deepest shade of emerald that had the slightest twists of dark blue and gold swirling through them. He gave me a rather cocky smile that reminded me of some of the guys from school and showcased a set of perfectly white teeth.

The second difference was the air he had around him. It was all over his face, his smile, his stance, the tone of his voice, the way he walked, and how he acted around me. He was arrogant to no end. That infuriatingly cocky smile and chuckle I heard repeated numerous times from the jocks at school. He held himself in a casual 'I-know-I'm-so-much-better-than-you-are' pose like it was some sort of unattainable coolness. Even in the way he wore his long sleeved dark blue shirt untucked from his jeans and had a dark leather jacket on boasted of arrogance in some form or fashion. He was used to being on top and getting his way.

He wasn't like I expected. Well, I mean, he wasn't what I'd wanted either. I'd been expecting some always moody, drug addict, who had looked like something out of Alcatraz. Instead, I was faced with a rather attractive boy who would have fit in perfectly at my school. Nothing like I'd imagined.

The boy gave another grin. "You must be Amy. They told me you'd be out here."

In an instant I hated him. The air he gave off was infuriatingly cocky and self-confident. This boy had lived on the good side of life, used to getting everything and expecting people to fall at his feet. Well, I certainly wasn't. When Soraya got back, she was going to reprimand me for my actions towards the boy.

"Who are you?" I asked, my tone cool.

"Ty Baldwin." There was a great big smirk on his face. He stepped forward out of the barn doorway and stuck out his hand. I looked at it for a moment. Over confident, self-centered brat!

"Nice to know, let's get started."

Ty looked a little taken aback before smoothly covering his face with a grin.

"Started with what?"

"Work." I could see panic flare up behind his eyes a little. "We got to feed, groom, and work this whole barn of horses, muck out all the stalls, wash down the aisle, and let some of the horses outside."

"How many times a week?" he asked, apprehension evident in his voice.

I laughed at this, pleased to see him so uncomfortable. "Everyday."

Just after I said that, I heard Lou enter the barn with a man I didn't know who was dressed in jeans and button-up shirt. "Oh, Amy, you are here. Did you finish?" when I nodded, she grinned and when the man was turned away, she shot me an evil look. "Amy," she went on, turning to the man, "this is Mr. Hedley. He's in charge of all of Ty's affairs. He'll be coming to check on him every now and then."

At Lou's consistent hand gestures and flashing eyes, I gave Sunny one final pat and walked out of the stall, wiping my hands on my jeans as I went. "Amy Fleming," I said, sticking my hand out to the Mr. Hedley.

Mr. Hedley broke into a wide smile. "Please Amy, call me Nick. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I know Ty here, is looking forward to all of it." I glanced over at Ty who was leaning against the barn wall with a look of disgust stamped onto his face. I think it was clear he didn't want to be here anymore thanI wanted him to be here. I gave a little smirk, to which Ty shot me a nasty look and sliced his finger across his throat. I grinned again.

"Well, by the time her leaves here, he'll be good and worked." I sent a sickly sweet grin in Ty's direction. Mr. Hedley smiled." Think that's exactly what he needs." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "Um, Amy, could you come here for a moment?" I nodded and walked over to him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lou begin talking animatedly to Ty before leading him over to the bedroom and showing him in.

He really was cute.

Stop it, Amy!

"Yes, Mr. H- Nick…"

He smiled again. "I was wondering if there was perhaps some sort of project that you could allow Ty to work with. Maybe a horse that needs to be taken special care of, but, no that would be a bad idea. I still would like you to do all that normally do with healing the horses. What about if you let him fix up the barn? Paint it, put flowers in boxes, sweep out the loft? I'm sure Lou would appreciate it."

I nodded eagerly. This was exactly what I had thought Ty was going to do anyways. Fixing the barn would be perfect. "That would be wonderful. I'll let him know you suggested it when we start." Nick smiled at me again before meeting Lou and Ty in the new bedroom.

I however, was perfectly content with the situation and went back to where I'd been with Sunny. "Hey, sweet baby. I know it's later than usual, but I'll take you out soon, I promise. I just have to take the others for an exercise first. 'Kay, Baby." Sunny gave an irritated snort and shook his head. "Thanks for being so understanding, boy."

I quietly walked out of the stall, making sure to lock it behind me. Sunny was notorious for getting out of half locked stalls and getting out loose on the ranch. I hated it when we had to go and chase him down because Sunny was devilishly crafty and quick to dart around people.

"Who to ride first?" I thought out loud. I was going to exercise all the boarders first because they didn't need any special care or handling. I looked down the barn aisle at the heads poking out of stalls. "Alright sweetheart. I see you. You're first."

Hangin' Ten, otherwise known as Dude, was being boarded here for a month and a half in hope to be cured of his fear when it came to being asked to canter. He was a gorgeous registered Appaloosa horse with a black leopard spot coat. I had cured that fairly quickly with the banning of whips around him. Dude had been beaten when with one in training for canter when he was young which had scared him for life. When he had been sold, he'd never been needed to be whipped for walking or trotting, but when it came to cantering and the crop was brought out to encourage to go, he blanched and balked the whole time, refusing most times to move at all when he saw the crop.

It had gotten so bad that I couldn't even ask him to canter anymore because he feared the twitch of the crop. It had taken a few herbal remedies that Mom had suggested for nervous and jittery horses. That had only worked inside the barn, but even then I couldn't bring a crop within ten feet of him. Outside, he was jumpy and skittish, fearful that the crop would come at any time. So, I had joined up with him, under Mom's careful supervision. Perhaps, one of the most magical events to witnessed on earth, the joining of up a person and a horse.

I had gotten Dude to trust me willingly. He had then allowed me to bring a crop into his stall but didn't approve of me swinging it around his head. Other than that, he calmed down when I would lead him around the stable yard or let him loose in the fields. The only problem was still when I would ask him for a canter, even without the crop. He was afraid the pain was coming soon.

So, I'd had to keep trying every day. I put crops all over the arena so that he saw them when we were riding. I'd trot close to them to get him used to them. Then, after a little bit of that, I dismounted and showed him that I didn't have a crop. I walked around, running my hands up and down his neck, soothing him with T-Touch occasionally. When he had finally relaxed, I remounted and started him trotting. Then, I asked for a canter.

He had seemed hesitant at first like he was still afraid that I would bring out the crop at any moment and whack him with it. But when I didn't after a few minutes, his gait relaxed, and he fell into an easy motion. I saw the instant change in Dude's mood. His ears perked up, his step lightened. He even gave a half buck to show his appreciation. He was recovering fine right now, but I was keeping him an extra week and having the owners come over four times a week to ride him without a canter just to be sure before sending him back home.

Dude was an easy one to ride with having to have much focus with him which was something I was now short on with Ty here. I was on my way to the tack room to grab his Western saddle and bridle when I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

Give you one guess who it was…

"Who do I get to ride?" why did this kid have to live in my barn? This kid? Really, any other kid would have been fine. But did it have to be this infuriatingly cocky, bratty, spoiled kid who didn't know the difference between the haunches and the flanks?

I whirled around, the agitation becoming hard to contain. I guess the anger must have been flashing in my eyes because he gave an all-knowing grin and jerked his head back towards Lou. "Your big sister told me that you were going to take me out for a ride before dinner.

"Oh, did she?" I hissed low threw my teeth. I glared over at the back of Lou's head were she was determinedly avoiding my gaze. "Fine. You can take The Devil."

I saw his eyes widen for a moment and he paled almost imperceptibly. "Devil?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yep. He's over there in the last stall. I pointed in that vague direction, paying attention to put Dude back in his stall.

"What? You mean that big, black one?"

"Sure. You got something against big, black horses?" I asked, a smirk dancing across my face. Now it was my turn to torture him.

"No… it's just he looks-" Ty was cut off by the high rear and loud whistle as I started walking towards Devil's stall. "Um, kinda wild…"

"Devil, wild? What makes you think that?" I asked as the horse reared again and snorted loudly.

I didn't want to tell him, but Devil was the biggest softy you'd find. The owner's three-year-old daughter rode him every day. In fact, he had only been sent here to cure him of his terrible barn manners when someone came down to his stall to take him out for a ride. It wasn't even when you were in the stall with him. It was as you were approaching him. Mom was still working on him. He was doing fine and wouldn't nip people anymore unless he saw you headed his way with a saddle or bridle which I had grabbed quickly before heading back towards him.

In fact, if you only saw Devil in the barn, you would say he was still wild. He looked like some type of great big wild horse that you read about in books. He filled out the stall nicely with his 17 hand, muscular, Friesian frame. He had a great flowing black mane, tail, and coat. It was easy to see why some people thought Devil looked like some kind of death bringing plague. But, he really was sweeter than honey, I just didn't plan on telling Ty that.

"Well, he just…"

"Yeah, I knew you couldn't think of anything. Now go stand outside and I'll bring Devil out when I'm done with him and Bullet." He had turned to leave when I shouted out," Ty!" he turned around and grinned.

"Yes?" the silky tone in his voice made me want to slap him. Thank goodness I had this to get back at him.

"Here." I tossed him a riding helmet. He caught it deftly and looked at it before gulping. "You'll need it," and I turned back to groom Devil and tack him up laughing silently at the stunned and frankly frightened look on Ty's face.

Now that I was in his stall and stroking him calmly, Devil looked quite content and quiet. When I had double checked the cinch to make sure he wasn't playing with me, I walked over to Bullet's stall. Misleading Speed was a tall, lean, cherry bay Thoroughbred gelding who was being boarded here. His breed was known for being beautiful in motion, but Bullet would never have been recognized as a Thoroughbred unless you had his papers in your hands. His legs were a little too long, his head was a little bit bigger than usual, he had smaller ears, he had a great deep chest that didn't go with the rest of him, a rather thin girth, and he was rather small at barely even 15 hands. He didn't look anything like a sleek and majestic Thoroughbred, but man was he fast. Bullet, as he was affectionately known around the barn when not on the track, had broken or tied the record of every track he stepped foot on.

He was a celebrity in the horse racing community internationally. When he had first been shipped out here to be boarded, reporters had swarmed in from around the world wanting to get a good look at the legendary horse. Reporters even scheduled appointments now to assess the gangly colt. Right now, Bullet was in his off season resting because his owners wanted him to recover his full strength. I thought the rest was doing this horse wonders. His ears had perked up, he ate a little bit more, he frolicked more in the fields. Bullet was pretty well behaved for a racehorse. He wasn't skittish around other horses, wasn't flighty, would trot when I asked for a trot, he could even jump reasonably well.

Yes, it may come as a surprise, but the owner had allowed me to exercise him twice a day. He had thought about sending one of his exercise jockeys down here to work with him, but when Mr. Jacobs had shown up, he saw me working with ornery Oreo, a stubborn, little Chincoteague pony mare who did the complete opposite of asked. It wasn't that the wrong signals were being given, it was because she was so darn stinking stubborn. I swear she's part mule. It was taking Mom a little longer to work with her. But as always, Mom was patient, and the little girl was coming along just fine. As he was pulling up, Mom had me working on jumps with Oreo. She refused every other one, and it was work to not fall off. Someone had to teach him who really was in charge. That then became my job because Mom found that I was unnaturally patient but firm with problem horses.

Oreo had been bucking up a fit when Mr. Jacobs had driven up, a full fledged back arched, hooves up, air between me and the saddle. But I stuck to her like a burr, and Mr. Jacobs was pleased with how well I rode. He figured if I could stay on a bucking pony, then a galloping Thoroughbred would be no problem. So, I became in charge of exercising Bullet. Mr. Jacobs had even let me start the gelding both on jumping and barrel racing. I figured Bullet needed a little routine in his life. He loved running but he must have needed something different to do. So, I added a couple jumps and quick turns.

Bullet's ears perked up at the sound of my voice as I started crooning to him. "Hey, Bullet, baby. How are you today? Ready to do some running?" I entered his stall and began doing T-Touch on his face like he enjoyed. I grabbed his light racing saddle and bridle that were hanging in front of his stall. He pranced eagerly as I fitted the small blanket on his back and cinched the saddle on and buckled up the bridle. I could see he was getting jumpier than usual as I started to wrap up his legs. "Sheesh, boy, what's up? You're edgier than usual. I'm gonna put some lavender in your feed tonight. How does that sound?" I began rubbing T-Touch between his eyes.

When he had finally relaxed enough, I led him out of his stall and grabbed Devil on the way out. Devil whinnied happily as I opened the barn door and led them over to the stable yard where Ty was waiting by the mounting block. He had gained back his good humor and was smirking at the look of Bullet. It was easy to see why so many people had looked him over when he was younger. He just didn't look like a racehorse. He was small and unproportional and scrawny looking. He didn't look anything like the masters of the tracks did. He wasn't as imposing, as demanding of attention.

Still, it ticked me off that people would write a horse off just because he didn't look pretty enough. That was perhaps the reason I snapped at Ty. "What?" I asked sharply at the smirk plastered across his face.

"Is that supposed to be a horse?" he asked with a hint of laughter in his voice as he nodded his dark head towards Bullet.

"He's a darn sight a better horse than you'll ever get to ride." Ty laughed out loud at my proclamation.

"What other horses are there in this place? Broken down ponies, a couple deadbeats that even the glue-factory didn't want?"

I decided to play my queen of spades and rub it in his face. "Surely, you've at least heard of Misleading Speed."

"Well, of course I have. Hasn't everyone? Supposed to be the fastest thing since Man o' War and Secretariat combined, whoever they are. I think I even saw him race once. He was fastest thing I've seen with four legs. Why? You think this nag here can beat him?"

"This _nag_," I said with distaste, "happens to be Misleading Speed." I chuckled at the look on his face. "I reckon we've a got a right sight more than broken down ponies and deadbeats the glue-factory didn't want."

I tied Bullet up to fence post so that I could help hold Devil as Ty mounted. I stood at the end of the mounting block with Devil's reins in my hands. "Well get on," I said as he just stared at me.

"How?"

"You climb up the steps, put your left foot in the stirrup, and swing your other leg over. Really simple."

"Well then you do it!"

"Are you honestly going to go there?"

His grinned slipped a little at the questioning look on my face. "No. Fine." I thought I heard him start to mumble things under his breath that wouldn't have been appropriate to say with ladies around. Ty walked up to the stepping block I was standing next to and quickly strode to the top.

"Yeah, just stick your left foot in the stirrup there."

"The what?"

"The little metal semi-circle near his stomach."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh. Yeah, now lean forward over the saddle and swing your other leg over his back."

"Are you sure this thing isn't going to buck me off as soon as I get on?"

"Just get on! And, just so you know, _that thing_ has a name. It's Devil, and he's going to make sure you know it unless you show him some respect." Devil would never do such a thing, but it was fun anyways to see that cocky grin fall from his face.

I watched with a bemused expression as Ty placed his sneaker in the stirrup and attempted to swing his leg over before falling backwards and having his leg stuck in the stirrup. "Go again, and I'll give you a leg up." I stepped out from in front of Devil and gave him my hand to step into. "Don't put your foot in the stirrup, push off from my hand." He did so and this time managed to sit himself in saddle, an arrogant smile making his usually handsome features look less appealing. "Finally. Now, put your feet in the stirrups. Here, I'll hold them. Put on your helmet, and hold the reins."

His voice came out in a squeak. "H-hold the reins?!"

"Um, yeah. I've got to get up on Bullet."

"Look, would you feel better if I tied you to the post. I promise he's not going to buck you off. Devil'd never hurt a fly. A three-year-old kid rides him every day. Calm down, or he really will knock you senseless."

I walked over to Bullet who had been calming watching the whole event with a bored expression but was now whinnying loudly at my approach of him. "Yeah, you want to go boy, don't you?" I scratched the star between his eyes. "Here we go." I mounted up smoothly from the ground (he was rather short) and trotted over to Ty who was staring at with accusation written all over his face.

"Why didn't you tell me he was…normal? I thought he was going to murder me."

"You never asked." I said simply. "Come on," I said. I had all the patience in the world for horses but none when it came to dealing with people. Mom called that a drawback. She'd never been that comfortable around other people other. "Look, you can't ride, and I don't feel teaching you right now. So here's the deal. I'm going to lead you to a pasture at a walk where I'll teach you some basics there. once that's done, you will dismount off Devil, I will tie him to one of the branches, and then I'll proceed to exercise Bullet. When I'm done, you will mount back up on Devil and ride back here without my help. Is that clear? Good. Let's go!"

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Okay, so I know Amy seems kinda bratty and snotty in this chapter, but she sees Ty as arrogant, self-centered, bratty, and annoying. I mean, I'd be that way to a guy who acted like that around me too. Trust me, things will get better!

They learn to, uh... settle their differences...

You'll just have to read and see.

Amy really is sweet and stuff, she just annoyed and mad at Ty's attitude to start with...

Yes, that was a shameless plug to get you to keep reading and reviewing!

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Whew! That was a long chapter!!! I hope all of you guys review it! I know you all like getting reviews, well so do I. It makes me happy. I've got anaynuous- or however you spell it I can't spell- reviews too so anyone can review!! PLEASE, I'd love to hear anything from you, liked it or not.

**Anyone who reviews gets either a cyber pony or a cyber Ty yourchoice!.**

**HHTF**

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Okay, I love all of you guys who read this and I especially want to thank my two favorite reviewers!


	3. Name Changes

Hey Everyone!

I'm sending out this message to those that have me favorited or alerted- I don't even know if thats a word- and putting updates on all my stories so people know!

I am officially changing my name!

Yes, I don't like this name anymore and really want to/need to change it! So, as of today, it shall be **AsItThunders**.

Just letting everyone know!

Love you all!

Merry Christmas,

**AsItThunders**


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